After Tex (22 page)

 

Supper was a very tense affair. Megan didn't have the energy or the will to referee the nonstop sparring between Jake and Peter. With Tess chiming in on Jake's side and Todd smirking, Megan's stomach was in knots by the end of the meal.

Maybe that was why the unexpected appearance of Flo Olson set her off. When Tess's mother burst into
the dining room like an avenging angel come to claim her own, Megan rose from her chair and met the woman before she could get anywhere near Tess.

“I want you out of here,” she said with quiet force, waving off Jake, who'd also risen. “You're in violation of a court order.”

“I don't give a damn about court orders,” Flo said. “Tess is my baby.”

Peter regarded her with shock. “Who is this woman?”

Flo barely spared him a glance, before focusing on Tess again. She held out her arms. “Come here, baby. Give mama a hug.”

Wide-eyed and clearly frightened, Tess slipped out of her chair. But instead of going to her mother, she crept close to Jake, who circled an arm protectively around her shoulders.

“Go away, Mama,” Tess said in a small, but surprisingly firm voice. “I don't want you here and I don't want to go with you. You don't love me. You just want Tex's money.”

Flo's face crumpled, and for the first time, Megan felt a vague stirring of pity for the woman. Maybe her presence wasn't entirely about Tex's money, after all. Maybe she really did regret abandoning Tess.

Or did Megan just want to believe that because she needed to think that Sarah had lived with regrets? Her mother had shown no evidence of remorse. Sarah hadn't crawled back and begged forgiveness the way Flo was doing. Megan realized that on some level she was actually a little jealous of Tess. Even after all these years, Megan still thought a dysfunctional
mother was better than no mother at all. How pitiful was that?

“Tess, sweetie, I've missed you,” Flo said, holding out a hand beseechingly.

Tess took Jake's hand instead. “I don't believe you. You never even wrote me a postcard.”

“Baby, I was busy, but I'm here now. I've come to get you. We'll be together again.”

“I think Tess has already made her wishes clear,” Jake said coldly. “Now, will you leave or will I be forced to call the sheriff?”

Flo looked from him to Megan. “You're a woman. Surely you understand what a mother feels.”

“Sorry,” Megan said, hardening her heart against the woman's obvious, if belated, distress. “I'm afraid I don't. Mine was just like you.”

“I made a mistake,” Flo whispered. “I never should have left her here.”

“But you did,” Jake said. “She's an O'Rourke now. It's all nice and legal. Tex saw to that. You have no claim to her.”

“She's my blood,” Flo protested.

“And Tex's,” Megan reminded her. “Like Jake said, she's an O'Rourke.”

Flo seemed about to protest again, but Jake nudged Tess toward Megan, then took hold of Flo's arm and steered her from the room. She was still arguing when they finally moved out of earshot.

Tears were streaking down Tess's face as she stared off in the direction her mother had gone. Megan knelt down in front of her.

“Peter, let's get back to work,” Todd said diplo
matically, tossing his napkin on the table and leaving the rest of his dinner untouched.

“But—”

Peter's protest was cut off as Todd ushered him from the room as expertly as he guided unwanted visitors from Megan's office in New York.

“What's going to happen to her now?” Tess asked Megan in a quavery voice.

“That's up to her,” Megan said. “If she keeps trying to see you, she could be sent to jail.” She studied Tess intently. “Unless you'd rather we make arrangements for her to visit you here. It would be okay, if that's what you want. She is your mom. I've told you before it's perfectly natural to still have feelings for her.”

Tess bit her lower lip. “She sounded sort of like she really missed me, didn't she?”

“I thought so, too,” Megan said honestly, praying she wasn't misjudging the other woman's intentions. If she hurt Tess again, Megan would personally wring her neck.

Tess's expression turned hopeful. “Maybe it's not all about me being rich now.”

“Maybe not.”

“Would it be okay to maybe ask her to dinner or something?”

“If that's what you want, I won't forbid it.”

“What about Jake? Will he freak out?”

Megan grinned. “Probably, but this is your call, Tess. Jake and I will work it out however you want.” She tucked a finger under Tess's chin. “Just remember what Jake and I said—you're an O'Rourke now.
That means you've got me to depend on. I may mess up from time to time, but we're family.”

Tess nodded solemnly. “I guess I'll think about it some more.”

“Take your time. You don't have to decide tonight or even tomorrow.”

“What if she leaves town before I make up my mind?” Tess asked plaintively.

Megan figured that would tell them all they needed to know about Flo, but she didn't say that. “We'll find her,” she promised. She doubted it would be that difficult. Though she prayed it was otherwise, she still didn't entirely believe that Flo would go far from Tess's newfound wealth.

Megan brushed the tears from Tess's cheeks. “Okay, now?”

Tess nodded, then gave her a shaky smile. “I'll be better after I've had ice cream.”

Megan glanced at the table. “You haven't finished your vegetables,” she observed sternly, then grinned. “Oh, what the heck. Neither have I. Two hot fudge sundaes coming up.”

“Three,” Tess said. “Jake's going to want one, too.”

“Yes, I imagine he will,” Megan agreed, leading the way into the kitchen.

With Mrs. Gomez gone for the evening, they were left to their own devices. Fortunately, dishing up ice cream was a skill Megan had acquired early on. She loaded the dishes with hot fudge, then let Tess squirt whipped cream on top. Jake returned just as they'd finished.

He took one look at the gooey desserts and pulled
up a chair. “I assume this one is for me,” he said, grabbing the biggest sundae.

“It could have been for Peter,” Megan grumbled.

“Never. He's probably into poached pears with a carmelized sauce.”

He was, but Megan wouldn't have admitted it if her life depended on it.

“Everything okay?” she asked instead.

He nodded. “How about in here?”

“Me and Megan made a pact,” Tess said.

“Oh, really? What kind of pact?”

“She's gonna stick by me no matter what.” Tess regarded Jake solemnly. “She said you would, too.”

Jake reached over and ruffled her hair. “That's a guarantee, sweet pea.” His gaze locked with Megan's. “You couldn't shake me if you tried.”

There was no question the message was meant for both of them.

T
otal disaster reigned in Peggy's kitchen on Tuesday morning. Megan watched as her old friend stood in a corner and observed the scene with an obvious mix of fascination and horror. Her furniture and appliances were being rearranged, lights were being set up and cameras placed. To anyone outside the business, it must seem chaotic. To Megan it was an orchestrated beehive of activity that had become second nature.

Worried that Peggy might panic over the upheaval and back out, Megan joined her and gave her hand a quick, reassuring squeeze. “You okay?”

“It's so exciting, isn't it?” Peggy asked, surprising Megan with the sparkle in her eyes. A moment later, Peggy's eyes dimmed and worry creased her brow. “Are you sure they can put everything back when we're finished?”

“Absolutely.”

“Otherwise, Johnny's going to blow a gasket. He still thinks I've lost my mind to let a bunch of strangers tear our house apart. I asked him what kind of friends we'd be if we didn't help you out when you're in a jam. He asked me just how often I'd heard from you over the years, and then stomped out.” She gri
maced. “Sorry. I probably shouldn't have told you that.”

“It's okay. I haven't been the very best friend,” Megan conceded. “But I want to make up for that, Peggy. I really do.”

“There's no need,” Peggy insisted, her expression bleak. “Nobody understands better than I do that sometimes you just get caught up in living, in making it from one day to the next. There's not much time for anything or anyone else.”

There was a troubling note of despair in her voice that tugged at Megan's heart. “Hey,” she said, putting her hands on her old friend's shoulders and waiting until Peggy met her gaze. “Is everything really okay with you? Can I help?”

“Not unless you can get Johnny to stop sleeping with every female he takes a fancy to,” Peggy blurted in an unexpected burst of bitterness, then covered her face with her hands. “Oh, God, I never meant to say that. I wanted you to think my life was just perfect. That's what I want everybody to believe. Not that they do around town. Half the women have slept with Johnny and the rest know about it. Sometimes it's all I can do to show my face in church on Sunday.”

Megan was shocked by the confession and by the humiliation Peggy had endured. “Why haven't you thrown him out?” she asked, genuinely perplexed.

“I honestly don't know. I hate his guts,” Peggy said harshly, then sighed. “At least some of the time.”

“But you still haven't stopped loving him?” Megan guessed.

“No,” Peggy admitted. “How stupid does that make me?”

“Foolish maybe, not stupid,” Megan said. “The heart can't always be ruled by the head.”

“Even if I really did hate his guts, he's all I have,” Peggy said. “The kids adore him. What would I do if he left? I can't run this ranch alone. And I can't hire somebody. We barely make ends meet as it is. The money from this shoot will be a godsend. I didn't tell Johnny you were paying to use our kitchen. I'm hiding every penny in a savings account he knows nothing about. Otherwise, he'll just spend it on his women, the same way he does every other spare penny I manage to save.”

Megan sighed. This explained the tension she'd felt between the two, and all of Jake's innuendoes that it was old news and a familiar habit.

“I'm so sorry. I wish there were something I could do.”

“Don't be sorry. It's not your doing. I was sixteen when I fell for Johnny, and nothing would do but that I have him the very second we graduated from high school. He was a flirt then, but I thought once we were married, he'd settle down. Far from it. It's as if he's determined to sow the wild oats now that he couldn't because we married so young.”

Megan wanted to shake her friend for putting up with it, but Peggy's reasons for staying were her own. Once more Megan thought of Peter and what a good match Peter and Peggy would be if the circumstances were different. Peter truly was the sort of solid, dependable man that Peggy had once described Johnny as being. Even now, despite his avowed disapproval,
he was back at her ranch working on a business plan that would permit her to run her operation from Whispering Wind. Peggy deserved someone who understood that kind of loyalty.

Still, Megan cautioned herself to stay out of Peggy's marital situation. It was far too volatile.

“If you ever want to talk about it, I'll be there,” she promised, and left it at that.

Peggy regarded her doubtfully. “Even after you've gone back to your exciting life in New York?”

“Even then,” Megan insisted, though at the moment there seemed to be no prospect of leaving Whispering Wind in the near future. “Now let's forget about Johnny Barkley and whip up some gourmet holiday treats, so everyone in the country will know what a fabulous cook you are.”

Peggy's hands trembled so badly at the mention of the upcoming taping that she had to clench them together. “Are you sure?” she asked nervously. “Maybe you should do the segment by yourself. I'll just make a mess of it.”

“No way. They're your recipes and you're a far better cook than I ever dreamed of being.” Sensing that she'd better get the taping started before Peggy panicked and backed out, Megan glanced around until she spotted the director. “Hey, Kenny, are we set?”

“In five,” he responded. “If you and Peggy will take your places, we can do a sound and lighting check and we'll be good to go.”

Ten minutes later the cameras were rolling. Any visible signs of Peggy's nerves settled down the minute Megan started asking her questions about the ingredients they were using in the delicate holiday pas
tries that had been made by Peggy's family for generations.

As naturally as if she'd done it a hundred times before, Peggy wove in details of her family history. She added cultural traditions from Sweden, where her great-grandmother had been born before moving to the United States with her husband at the turn of the century. Her hands flew confidently as she chopped nuts and dried fruit and mixed in sugar and cinnamon before rolling it in a thin, flaky pastry dough. Megan watched with awe and amusement as her friend literally stole the show.

“That's a wrap,” Ken called as Peggy held up a plate of freshly baked pastries for the last shot.

Peggy slowly put the plate on the counter and turned to Megan, an expression of wonder on her face. Her cheeks were flushed from the heat of the oven and the lights. “That's it? That's all there is to it?”

Megan thought of the preproduction work, the scheduling, the thousand other details, then grinned. “Pretty much.”

“Oh, wow, that was wonderful,” Peggy said. “What a rush! People are actually going to watch me cook on TV.”

“A million-plus,” Megan confirmed.

As the number sank in, Peggy looked like she might faint. “That many?” she asked weakly.

“Did you think we were doing this just for family and friends?”

“I don't know what I thought, but it wasn't a million, I guarantee that. Thank heaven you didn't tell me that before or I'd have fainted dead away.”

“You would have been fine,” Megan contradicted.

“In fact, you were terrific,” Kenny said, coming over to congratulate her. “A real natural.”

Micah joined them. “Nice job, Peggy,” she said, though with less enthusiasm than Kenny. “Megan, I'm heading back to town. I've got things to do. Now that we know this will work, I'm thinking of flying back to New York first thing in the morning to take care of some business there.”

Megan regarded her with surprise. “You're going back? Now?”

“For a few days at least. Kenny and Todd can handle anything that comes up here,” she said with an all-too-familiar edge of resentment. “Do you have a problem with that?”

“No, I'm just surprised.”

“I'll check in with you when I get to New York, find out how things are going.”

Megan nodded. She had a feeling there was more behind Micah's sudden decision to abandon ship, but she couldn't honestly say she regretted her going. Her attitude was generally adding to the tension, rather than relieving it.

“I'll talk to you tomorrow, then,” Megan said, and watched as Micah walked away. She turned to Kenny. “Any idea what that's all about?”

“She hates her room. She hates it here. She hates that Todd has more access to you than she does. She's a very bitter woman,” Kenny said. “If you ask me, not that you did, I say let her go for good. She's not adding anything.”

Megan was surprised by his outburst. “I thought you two got along.”

“I like Micah well enough. I used to respect her.” He shrugged. “Something's going on with her, though. I can't put my finger on it. I just think you'd be wise to get rid of her.” He turned to Peggy, clearly ending the discussion. “What are you whipping up tomorrow?”

“Venison stew, I think,” Peggy said with a questioning look at Megan. “Right?”

Megan accepted the deliberate change of subject. “Yes, that's it.”

Kenny responded with enthusiasm. “Wait till I tell the guys. Right now they're gobbling up these cookies so fast they're burning their tongues.”

“Maybe they should have waited till they cooled,” Megan said dryly.

“No way. They were too afraid they'd be gone.”

After he'd walked away, Megan turned to her friend. “You're already a hit with the people who count,” she told her. “These guys are the best in the business and they don't hand out praise lightly.”

“They're just some cookies from old family recipes,” Peggy said demurely.

“This isn't just about the cookies. It's about the way you handled yourself in front of the camera. You were fantastic,” she enthused, then paused thoughtfully. “And that gives me an idea.”

“What?” Peggy asked.

“Let me think about it and we'll talk tomorrow,” Megan promised, giving Peggy a hug. “Go put your feet up and rest. The guys will clean up this mess and put everything back where it belongs.”

“It seems such a waste, when they'll need to move it all around again tomorrow,” Peggy said.

“Don't worry. They're used to it. It's part of the job on a location shoot like this. Besides, I don't want to give Johnny any reason to get annoyed at you for letting us do this.”

“Thanks,” Peggy said, clearly relieved. “I think I'll go take a long bath. Johnny won't be home with the kids for at least another hour. After my bath, I'll actually have time to curl up with a book and enjoy the peace and quiet.”

Megan was almost out the door when Todd caught up with her. “Are you thinking what I'm thinking?” he asked.

“That she could do the cooking segments on this show with one hand tied behind her back?” Megan asked.

“Pretty much.”

She regarded him intently. “You really saw it, too?”

“Would I have said it otherwise?”

“It could make such a difference for her,” Megan stated, thinking of the freedom Peggy would have to start over without that louse of a husband. An income from doing the cooking segments would nicely supplement whatever she could make running the ranch. Of course, all of that assumed that Megan would be staying on in Whispering Wind and producing the shows from here.

“You make a great team, too,” Todd said. “There's an obvious affection that comes across on the air.”

“Would the audience respond okay to me not doing every little thing? Would it hurt my image not to be the sole proprietor of
Megan's World?
” She re
alized as she asked that she trusted his judgment on this far more than she did Micah's. Maybe Todd should be producing the show. Maybe that would be the lure she could use to keep him happy about being in Wyoming. He'd wanted to be in television. Here was his chance.

“If you dragged in a total stranger, they might hate it,” he said, his expression thoughtful. “But the friendship and history you and Peggy share works on the air. I think they'd love it. Just imagine the mileage you could get out of chatting about families and kids and relationships. Those would be a natural extension of who you are, instead of phony talk show advice from some paid expert. I think it brings a whole new warmth and dimension to the program. If you want my advice, go for it.”

“If she'll do it,” Megan said, wondering if Peggy would dare defy her husband and strike out on her own. It could very well mean the end of her marriage. Once Peggy was financially independent, Johnny would have no hold over her any longer. Was Peggy really ready to take that next step to breaking free?

As they neared her car, Megan spotted Jake waiting in the shadows. That old familiar tingling began low in her belly. If things had been different, at another time in her life, she might have walked straight into his arms. Now she stood awkwardly and waited.

“How'd it go?” he asked, moving toward her.